Hair preparation which contains chicle in homogeneous solution



United States Patent Int. Cl. A61]: 7/06 US. Cl. 42471 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Hair preparation containing a gum such as chicle and which is capable of holding the hair in place for extended periods of time.

This invention relates to a hair preparation.

Hair pomades or brilliantines are generally composed of mineral oil or petrolatum and may also include vegetable fats, such as coconut oil, peanut oil or the like, as well as coloring agents and perfumes.

The present invention is directed to an improved hair preparation capable of holding the hair in place for extended periods and which does not have the greasy appearance normally associated with mineral oil pomades. According to the invention, the hair preparation is a solution of mineral oil and a gum such as chicle. In addition, coloring agents or dyes as well as perfumes can be added to the composition. The chicle is soluble in the mineral oil so that a generally homogeneous solution results with the mineral oil serving as the base material and the chicle aiding in holding the hair together and also serving to tone down the oily or greasy appearance of pure mineral oil.

The mineral oil to be used in the hair preparation of the invention is a highly purified heavy hydrocarbon, preferably of a grade approaching or equalling petrolatum liquidum USP. The mineral oil is a colorless and odorless oil having a density generally in the range of 0.83 to 0.91 r./cc. a The gum to be used should be soluble in mineral oil, substantially insoluble in water and should be a solid at room temperature. Chicle has proven particularly satisfactory as the gum for it has the aforementioned properties.

Chicle is the dried milky juice of the bully tree, a native of South America and Central America. It consists of oxidized hydrocarbons and resembles caoutchouc and guttapercha. Chicle occurs as a soft, grayish-white solid and has a melting point of about 49 C. As previously mentioned, the chicle is soluble in mineral oil so that the resulting hair preparation is a generally homogeneous solution.

It has been found that other natural occurring gums, such as tragacanth, gum arabic, benzoin gum, balsam gum and mesquite gum will not function in the manner of chicle in the hair preparation of the invention. Tragacanth, gum arabic and mesquite gum are not soluble in mineral oil and are at least partially soluble in water, while benzoin and balsam gums are thin liquids.

The amount of chicle to be used in the preparation can vary widely, depending on whether the resulting hair preparation is to be a solid or liquid. For a solid hair preparation, the chicle is generally used in a volume ratio of one part of chicle to one to two parts of mineral oil, while if the preparation is to be a liquid, the chicle is used in a volume ratio of less than one part chicle to two parts of mineral oil and generally in the range of one part of chicle to five to ten parts of mineral oil.

To prepare the composition, the mineral oil and chicle are heated to a temperature slightly below the boiling point of the mineral oil. The materials are stirred until the gum is completely dissolved in the mineral oil, which generally will be a period of about two minutes. After the gum has dissolved, the resulting solution is cooled to room temperature.

If it is desired to add coloring or perfume to the preparation, the coloring material is added to the heated solution and stirred in, while the perfume is generally added with stirring while the material is cooling to avoid evaporation of the volatile constituents of the perfume.

The resulting material, without the addition of color, is a generally milky brown, homogeneous solution which can vary from a thick liquid to a solid, depending on the proportion of the chicle which is used.

The hair preparation of the invention does not contain water and is a generally homogeneous solution of the mineral oil and chicle. The solution, when applied to hair, will not wash away with water and will keep the hair in place for extended periods and is found to be particularly good for stubborn hair. The chicle also aids in reducing the greasy appearance of the preparation over that of a pure mineral oil pomade.

Specific examples of the hair preparation of the invention are as follows.

EXAMPLE 1 One part by volume of chicle was added to six parts by volume of mineral oil and'the mixture was heated with constant stirring to a temperature of about 210 F. and maintained at this temperature until the chicle was completely dissolved. After the chicle was dissolved, D and C Red #17 dye was added to the mixture, and after cooling, the resulting hair preparation was a reddish brown, thick, homogeneous liquid.

EXAMPLE 2 Three parts by volume of chicle were added to six parts by volume of mineral oil and the mixture was heated with constant stirring to a temperature of about 200 F. until the chicle was completely dissolved. The solution was then cooled to produce a solid composition having a milky color.

EXAMPLE 3 A hair preparation was made similar to that in Example No. 1, except that one part by volume of chicle was added to 10 parts by volume of mineral oil. This resulted in a thin, liquid composition, particularly adaptable for fine types of hair.

Various modes of carrying out the invention are contemplated as being within the scope of the following claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which is regarded as the invention.

I claim:

1. A hair preparation, comprising a generally homogeneous solution of mineral oil and chicle, with said chicle being present in a volume ratio of 1:1 to 1:10 with respect to the mineral oil, said chicle being soluble in min- References Cited eral oil, substantially insoluble in water and being a solid UNITED STATES PATENTS at room temperature.

2. The hair preparation of claim 1, which is a solid ma- 1,927,916 9/ 1933 Brown at 16787 terial and said chicle is present in the volume ratio of 1:1 to 1:2 with respect to the mineral oil. 5 FOREIGN PATENTS 3. The hair preparation of claim 1, which is in a liquid 700,516 12/1964 Canada.

form and said chicle is present in the volume ratio of less than 1:2 with respect to the mineral oil. ELBERT ROBERTS, P y Exllmineh 

